My quick question is how does it work?

I'm interested in glass bedding a rifle. I have a potentially dangerous tool at my disposal and I'm itching to use it.

So I read all through the chapter on improving accuracy. This book has a whole section on glass bedding and seriously stresses following the instructions. Memorize the instructions before starting. Know the instructions, visualize the instructions, be one with the instructions. It also has a funny story about when the author didn't follow the instructions, and it almost cost him a divorce.

My long question- is the glass bedding spongy? I imagine that scenario as not just a free float barrel, but a free floating gun, except for the fact that the gun is screwed to the stock. Is the bedding somewhat hard but more soft than wood Or polymer? Why is the glass bedding better than the gun sitting on wood? Should a free floating barrel be supported be glass bedding?

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

The glass bedding is hard, and makes the contact with the stock constant if you torque the stock screws the same each time.
If you don't get the release agent right, it glues the gun and stock together.
For sure RTFM!

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Science plus Art

The glass bedding is much harder than the wood. I'll 2nd the "Use plenty of release agent, and make sure the release agent is on everything you don't want permanently glued in".

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

It took me a minute to figure out rtfm. If I'm getting it right, it means read the manual.

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

I have found this link to be extremely useful My first rifle bedding were done using Brownell's Acraglas gel, but I have switched to using Devcon. That is some great stuff. I also pillar bed everything now in addition to action bedding.

I can give more information if you like.

Glass bedding a rifle is not that difficult. The first one is always scary. There are ways to get a glued in rifle loose, but the easiest way is to use enough release agent and modeling clay to prevent migration of the glass where you don't want it to go in the first place.

I'll get back to it when I have a rifle to glass bed. I'm just planning out a restoration or build right now that will begin next month when I find what I want at the gun show and I had the wrong idea of glass bedding.

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

I would only add that when you buy the bedding, get the larger size. Once you start using it, you will find that it can be a great 2 part "glue" for lots of other projects.

I use Brownell's Accraglas as you can get brown and black dye. It works for bedding, bonding and repairs across the boards. Great tool just to have in the box.

Craig

Bedded my Rem 700 back in the '70s and its accuracy has never changed while living from GA to AK and points between. Like mentioned, use release agent, and then use some more.

I've always found that separating the metal from the bedded wood after the bedding has set up,,but not totally cured is an easy way to avoid any stuck together problem.

I usually speed up the curing process a bit with a pre-Al Gore light bulb of 75w or so.
One set up in a cheap desk top articulated arm type arrangement makes it easy to place it right where you want it to heat it up.
I sometimes put a small towel over the light and the work to heat it up even more,,leaving a little breathing room so I don't start a problem.

It'll kick over the Acra-Gel stuff, old Micro-Bed, Steel-Bed,,what ever I've used ,most any epoxy glass stuff over to a hard consistancy in about 45minutes.
Check it where it's oozzed out a bit w/a knife point or the like and if it's pretty hard and past the rubbery stage,,I unbolt everything. Still being careful with it 'cause it's not cured yet.
Any rubbery set overlaping glass ooz you can scrape off w/a plastic knife blade and not scratch metal before it gets to the hardened stage. That way it won't pull up with the metal as you very carefully separate the two pieces.
I like to leave it undisturbed while still liquid as sometimes air bubbles will pop up thru it and any spill over will settle back down.

They come apart very easily at this early stage. Sometimes a couple of light mallet taps are needed,,a punch placed down into a blind screw hole helps. Just easy does it and work them free.
Inspect the metal for any glass hanging onto the surface from odd shaped holes, indents and reassemble and let it set for another 24hrs or so.
That second time it comes right apart w/little effort. Just the glove tight fit of the glass to the metal. No glued together surfaces that you'll have to break the bond and end up cracking wood or bending metal parts..

Release agent,,more isn't necessarily better. Complete coverage is what you need and with something that will not be effected by the heat that the compound generates as it sets up.
Some ordinary wax or grease compounds will melt into the 'glue' in that heat and become reletivly useless. I don't care for the propietary Brownells release agent either,,never had good results with that. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

For the last 40 or so yrs I've used Soft Turtle Brand Auto Wax,,the green stuff. Applied w/a toothbrush or a small 'acid' flux brush.
I just tried it 'cause I had it around one time.
It's always worked for me on 100's of jobs big and small,,no need to change.
But there are plenty of other good release agents in use out there.
Results are what count
It's a rough lesson learning which ones don't work well.

To free float the bbl on a glass bedding job,,cover the bbl area you want free floated (not touching the stock at all) with nice even layer(s) of tape. Any will do, what you are doing is building in a clearence,,the thickness of the tape.
That tape will be removed after the bedding job is done and what ever the thickness of the tape you applied to the bbl (and where) will then be a clearance between the bbl and the stock bedding material.
The first inch or so of the breech end of the bbl is usually bedded for support,,the free floated there out.

Sometimes pressure points are built into the bedding at the muzzle,,sometimes not. Every rifle is different. Pressure points can be added later to see if they help. They may,,they may not.

Make sure you coat over the tape layers w/release agent. You don't want the tape to become one with the bbl bedding.

Have fun,,don't panic,,it's just glue.

I once had an action that didn't want to come out of the stock after bedding. After a little thought, I just shot 5 rounds out of it and that worked the action enough to allow it to lift right out.

The improvement in bedding is due to the exact fit of the action to the stock. You're actually molding the stock to fit the action.